Know what each real enquiry actually costs
Google Ads often counts a tap on your phone number as a "conversion", even if the call never connects. That makes leads look cheaper than they are. This report separates real conversations from taps. The figures below are made up to show the layout.
Ad spend
£1,240
last 30 days (example)
Phone taps
96
what Google often reports
Real leads
41
answered calls 30s+ and form enquiries
Cost per tap
£12.92
looks cheap
Cost per real lead
£30.24
what you actually pay
Real leads by source
Campaigns, side by side
| Campaign | Spend | Taps | Real leads | Cost per real lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency plumber | £620 | 51 | 22 | £28.18 |
| Boiler repair | £410 | 30 | 14 | £29.29 |
| Bathrooms | £210 | 15 | 5 | £42.00 |
What counts as a lead
- Counts: a call from an ad that is answered and lasts 30 seconds or more.
- Counts: a quote form that is filled in and received.
- Doesn't count: a tap on the number that never turns into a real call.
- Doesn't count: the same person calling twice in a day.
What you get
- Calls and forms set up as the leads Google Ads optimises for.
- A simple monthly report like this one, in plain English.
- Everything tested before we hand it over.
From our own businesses
- Historical In one of our ad accounts, counting only real enquiries (forms, plus answered calls over a minute, matched to an ad click) the cost per lead was £28.83 over the 89 days to 26 September 2026. Counted the usual way, with phone taps included, the same account showed £15.29. That isn't an improvement; it's the true number, and it's the one you need for deciding budgets.
- Live Our call system logs every incoming call automatically: 1,310 since December 2025 in one business, 231 of them matched to a Google ad click.
- Live Answered calls of 30 seconds or more are sent back to Google Ads every 10 minutes, and a daily check flags any account getting clicks but recording no enquiries.